What are safety signs?
Safety signs are specific kinds of signs that are used to mark exits, identify the position of firefighting or safety equipment, highlight necessary actions or the use of personal protection equipment, warn of hazards, and restrict certain behaviors or the use of particular objects.
Why safety signs important
In any workplace, there should be safety signs. The main goal of putting up safety signs is to avoid accidents and ensure that workers and visitors are fully informed of any potential risks and hazards in certain circumstances or environments. Without warning signs, many workers wouldn’t know where to go in an emergency, and if any accidents happened as a result, employers might face serious legal issues.
How to use safety signs
1. Warning Signs
When the hazard or hazardous conditions aren’t life-threatening, a Warning Sign lets you know you could still get hurt. These are easy to identify with their yellow background and a black triangle around the hazard symbol. SLIPPERY WHEN WET is a commonly recognizable Warning Sign.
2. Danger Signs
If you need to warn people about potentially life-threatening hazards or hazardous conditions, you need to use a Danger Sign. The familiar red oval inside a black rectangle with the word DANGER in bold, capital letters, alerts people to the threat. Common Danger Signs include HIGH VOLTAGE and DO NOT ENTER.
3. Prohibition Signs
When you need to tell people that they can’t do something, you’ll need a Prohibition Sign – you know, the one with the universally recognizable red circle with a diagonal line through it. Keep people from entering private property with a NO ENTRY sign or signal that people aren’t allowed to smoke in an area with a NO SMOKING sign.
4. Mandatory Signs
A Mandatory Sign is a must when you have an instruction that has to be followed. You’ll recognize these by a white symbol or pictogram within a blue circle on a white background. If your workplace requires protective clothing or equipment, for instance, you’ll have seen signs like Foot Protection Must Be Worn In This Area or Hearing and Eye Protection Must Be Worn In This Area. You can also have just a word message with no image for Mandatory Signs, with the words in black on a white rectangular background.
5. Emergency Information Signs
If something does go wrong, Emergency Information Signs help people to find the location of, or directions to, your emergency-related facilities, like emergency exits, first aid, or safety equipment. The green background with white writing and symbols is instantly identifiable for safety, with common signs like FIRST AID KIT, or EMERGENCY PHONE.
6. Fire Signs
The bright red of Fire Signs makes them easy to spot around fire alarms and fire-fighting equipment. All text and imagery are white and stand out against the red background. Fire Signs are available to indicate the location of all your fire equipment, like fire extinguishers, fire blankets, fire hoses, and more.